"春が来た!" Imagine this. Two young Japanese boys running home from school on a sunny Friday afternoon, screaming at the top of their lungs. "Haru ga kita!" "Spring has come!" But what are they so excited about?
For some people, the coming of spring means that it is finally time to stash our heavy winter clothes back into storage and work towards making the front lawn presentable again. For others, perhaps it means spring break and a much anticipated week off of school. But for Japan, spring (which normally "officially" begins at the start of April) marks the "beginning" of the year. This is especially true for Japan's school system, since the academic term in Japan begins in April each year. With the cherry blossoms blooming, and the animals returning, this time of year is also perfect for friends and family members to gather under the trees and... well, "hanami."
Photo from PiratePanda.
First, for those of you who don't know what "hanami" means, let's break it down.
Hanami, or 花見, is the traditional Japanese custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers. The word "hanami" literally means "flower viewing." (Flower, in this case, almost always referring to the cherry/sakura blossoms that bloom around this time of year.) The practice of hanami is many centuries old.
This custom of viewing flowers is said to have been first started during the Nara Period (710–794), but during this time the ume blossoms were admired most. Shortly following, it was during the Heian Period (794–1185) when the sakura blossoms came to attract more attention and eventually made the practice of hanami to what it is today.
Okay, okay. So, you just stare at flowers all day long? Sounds boring to me.
Haha, not exactly. These days, hanami is treated more like an outdoor party rather than like an art appreciation standstill. Families, friends and/or coworkers will gather under the sakura blossoms and sit together on a large blanket or tarp. Snacks and alcohol are usually provided, and many photos are taken throughout the day. It's a great time to catch up and get reacquainted with friends and family. (Or, perhaps, kiss up to the company boss.)
Although it is more popular to host hanami parties in the morning/afternoon, parties at night are called "yozakura" (夜桜) meaning "night sakura." Temporary paper lanterns are hung up in popular areas (such as Ueno Park in Tokyo) for the purpose of yozakura. Pretty much so long as the blossoms are blooming, you'll see groups of people sitting under the trees in parks, or beside rivers. Depending on the year, the sakura blossoms can last up to 2 months in length.
Okay, now let's talk food.
Japan sure loves its packaged snacks and finger food, and the most popular foods and snacks served during hanami are no exception. In some cases, hanami enthusiasts travel by train in order to reach their hanami location, so something no-mess, and easy to dispose of afterwards is obviously ideal. For example, maybe various packs of sweets and assorted crackers from a local 7-Eleven, or a plastic bento full of homemade sushi rolls to share with friends. In the more popular areas, you can find stands for fried food like takoyaki, taiyaki, and yakisoba.
It is also a custom to drink sake (alcohol) during hanami. "We’d be remiss in talking about Hanami if we didn’t mention sake," says Chloe from JapanCentre.com. "Sake has been an integral part of Hanami traditions since the very beginning and some believe a drop of sake is essential to properly appreciate the flowers." And if alcohol is not your thing, or if the cold early-spring weather is a little too chilly for your tastes, perhaps a nice warm drink of amazake or a nice hot cup of green tea is just the drink for you! Perfect drinks to go along with your hanami snack food.
The best part about hanami is that you can experience it anywhere in the world! So, if you're going to be hosting a hanami party this year, make sure that you pick the best location, bring a large blanket and lots of snacks, beverage of choice, and dress warmly! And if you forget the blanket, you can always huddle up with friends... well, that's one way to get reacquainted! So readers, will you be doing hanami this year?
It is also a custom to drink sake (alcohol) during hanami. "We’d be remiss in talking about Hanami if we didn’t mention sake," says Chloe from JapanCentre.com. "Sake has been an integral part of Hanami traditions since the very beginning and some believe a drop of sake is essential to properly appreciate the flowers." And if alcohol is not your thing, or if the cold early-spring weather is a little too chilly for your tastes, perhaps a nice warm drink of amazake or a nice hot cup of green tea is just the drink for you! Perfect drinks to go along with your hanami snack food.
Many thanks to Jade for use of her hanami pictures!
The best part about hanami is that you can experience it anywhere in the world! So, if you're going to be hosting a hanami party this year, make sure that you pick the best location, bring a large blanket and lots of snacks, beverage of choice, and dress warmly! And if you forget the blanket, you can always huddle up with friends... well, that's one way to get reacquainted! So readers, will you be doing hanami this year?
No comments:
Post a Comment